Saints of Imperfection (episode)
}} Burnham and the crew navigate a dangerous alien landscape in a race against time to save Tilly’s life, but Stamets is not at all prepared for what they find in the process. Section 31 is assigned to help track down Spock, much to Pike’s dismay. Summary Teaser Michael Burnham runs through the corridors of the USS Discovery. She stops in Engineering to see Paul Stamets standing over a Mycelial transport vessel. She sits in her and Sylvia Tilly's quarters, hoping that Stamets can recover Tilly from whatever May has done to her. Burnham returns to work on the bridge, her mind preoccupied. At that point Keyla Detmer tracks down Spock's shuttle. Christopher Pike hails Spock's shuttle, hoping their relationship will result in Spock's compliance with Starfleet's attempt to track him down. This does not work, and Pike has the Discovery fire a torpedo near the shuttle, disabling it. The shuttle is brought in by tractor beam. In the shuttle bay, it is revealed that the shuttle has been piloted by Philippa Georgiou (mirror), whom Pike assumes is Captain Philippa Georgiou. Act One Pike and prime Georgiou discuss their shared history. He discovers her employment by Section 31. Georgiou is charged with tracking down Spock, and found his shuttle adrift. Pike takes her to his ready room where he discovers a hologram of Leland, with whom Pike also has a history. Leland requests Pike return Georgiou to Spock's shuttle, suggesting that his relationship with Pike and Burnham's relationship with Spock would compromise his mission. The discussion between Leland and Pike is cordial, but tense. Georgiou is free to go. Georgiou explains to Burnham that Pike does not know who she is, but Leland does. She blames Burnham for her position. The two women have words over the fate of Spock. Meanwhile, Stamets studies the Mycelial transport vessel, searching for human remains. He finds nothing, establishing that Tilly has been transported to the Mycelial network. He scans the network to find another transport vessel. In the network, Tilly awakens. She is covered in mycelial residue. May is present, and describes the transport process. Spores attack Tilly, and May declares that they are "our process," breaking down matter that enters the network and that she is a manifestation of those spores. May asserts that her entire species will die unless Tilly helps her "kill a monster." Act Two Pike speaks with Burnham, informing her that a liaison from Section 31 has arrived. Burnham sees soon after that it is Ash Tyler. Pike is unfamiliar with their relationship, and conflates Tyler and Voq. He further comments on the changes he perceives in Georgiou and Burnham's reaction to her when she arrived. They will discuss it further. Pike leaves and Burnham sits with Tyler under the watchful eye of Security Chief Nhan. Tyler cannot discuss with Burnham how he ended up in Section 31 after leaving Qo'noS. Tyler asks Burnham to believe that he will take care of Spock. In the Mycelial Network, Tilly and May bicker among the trees. They come to a mutual respect, with Tilly requesting that whatever happens, she will be returned to Discovery. Stamets has a plan to accomplish just that. It involves a "partial jump" through the Network, allowing him and Burnham to walk between the normal universe and Mycelial Space for about an hour. Pike asserts that, "Starfleet is a promise; I give my life for you, you give your life for me. And nobody gets left behind. Ensign Silvia Tilly is out there, and she has every right to expect us. We keep our promises. Please report to your stations and designated safe zones on the starboard side. Good luck, and God speed to us all." Stamets hooks up to the Spore drive, and the ship jumps halfway into the network. Tilly and May are stunned, and approach the ship. May mistrusts Tilly, who makes them "pinky swear" that their promises will be kept. They run to the ship. Stamets unhooks from the drive. It worked. The Mycelium begin to attack the hull. Tilly and May enter the ship and begin searching for personnel. They grab phasers, and Stamets and Burnham track them to the weapons locker. The two groups encounter one another, with Stamets and Burnham seeing May for the first time. They begin stalking the "monster" that is terrorizing the Mycelial Network. It is Hugh Culber. Act Three Stamets, Burnham, Tilly, and May look at Culber, in a fetal position on the floor. His hair has grown, and his clothing has become disheveled. May orders them to "kill it!" All refuse. Stamets runs after Culber. Burnham reports the "complication" to Pike as the ship begins malfunctioning. She, Tilly, and May begin following Stamets and Culber. May points out deadly bark that Culber has been defending himself with, like armor, against the disintegrating powers of the mycelial network. This confirms for Burnham that he is alive. Saru points out that the mycelium are penetrating the hull. Pike calls red alert, as the hull grows increasingly compromised. Tyler uses an early Combadge to hail Leland on the Section 31 ship, cloaked in a hologram of an asteroid. Leland uses a tractor beam, assisted by probes of some sort, to hold the Discovery. Stamets follows the trail of footprints to Culber. He talks to Culber, discussing their third date to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He reaches out to his partner. Culber takes it. They embrace. The rest of the team arrive, and Tilly is attacked by spores. She says that Culber is merely trying to protect himself, not attacking the Network. Burnham asks how Culber could be there, and Stamets theorizes that when he discovered Culber's body after being murdered by Voq, Culber's essence was transmitted through Stamets to the Network- as if through a lightning rod. But when in the Network, the mycelium attacked him like healthy cells do a cancer. Aboard the Section 31 ship, Georgiou convinces Leland to give Discovery three minutes more in the Network. Our heroes enter the airlock between the Network and normal space, but Culber cannot cross over. He begins to disintegrate. Act Four Stamets is understandably upset. The Culber that has been discovered is made of mycelial matter, which cannot survive in normal space. Culber says to Stamets, "You have to let me go." Stamets replies, "I can't leave you twice." They embrace. Tilly and Burnham realize that the cocoon in normal space is comprised of normal matter, which will allow Culber to move from the Network to normal space. Tilly pleads with May, and they pinky swear to reconnect. Stamets pledges to see Culber "on the other side," and the group moves to normal space. The Section 31 ship pulls Discovery from the Mycelial Network. The team has made it back. Pike goes to engineering- and denies Tyler the privilege to join him. Stamets watches as the cocoon disintegrates, assuming the form of Culber. They embrace. Culber has returned. Later, Pike beams over to the Section 31 ship. Admiral Katrina Cornwell is there, and she addresses Pike and Leland. She explains that one of the Seven Signals left behind Tachyon radiation, suggesting time travel. She suggests the two cooperate, cutting the "manlier-than-thou bullshit." She asserts that they have more important things to do than debate Section 14 of the Starfleet Charter (which contains the provision for Section 31). Leland and Pike are "on the same team," and Leland apologizes to Pike for crossing a line. Pike confirms Tyler is a permanent addition to the crew. Burnham receives a message from Georgiou. Georgiou demands thanks, and implies the superiority of Mirror Burnham and suggests that she needs to find Spock before vigilantes do. Georgiou asks Burnham to trust her. Burnham remains skeptical. Culber is being scanned and seems to be in good health. Pike looks at pictures of the Red Angel. Tilly dries her hair as Burnham enters their quarters. They share a moment. As Burnham returns to the bridge, she muses on the universality of the choice of paths we all must make. She looks at Tyler, and then to the middle distance. Memorable quotes "All personnel, this is Captain Pike. Starfleet... is a promise. I give my life for you; you give your life for me. And nobody gets left behind. Ensign Sylvia Tilly is out there, and she has every right to expect us. We keep our promises. Please report to your stations in designated safe zones in the starboard section. Good luck, and Godspeed to us all." :- Christopher Pike, to the crew of the Discovery "Mr. Stamets, are you ready to execute this very bold, deeply insane plan of yours?" :- Christopher Pike, to Paul Stamets Background information Continuity * This episode picks up where left off. * This episode reveals that Nhan has become chief of security for the Discovery. Nhan is the third character to hold the position after Ellen Landry and . * This episodes shows the earliest use of a combadge. * This episode reveals that Hugh Culber had been trapped in the Mycelial plane since his death ( ). Cast and Characters * This episode marks the first time all season 2 main cast members appear in an episode and are credited during the opening sequence. Additionally, Michelle Yeoh receives her usual "Special Guest Star" credit alongside the main cast. Reception and aftermath * Production history * : Title publicly revealed http://trekcore.com/blog/2019/01/next-four-star-trek-discovery-season-2-episode-titles-revealed/ * : Premiere airdate on CBS All Access * : International release date (outside Canada and the USA) Links and references Starring * Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham * Doug Jones as Saru * Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets * Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly * Shazad Latif as Ash Tyler * Wilson Cruz as Hugh Culber ;and * Anson Mount as Christopher Pike Special guest star * Michelle Yeoh as Guest starring * Jayne Brook as Katrina Cornwell * Alan van Sprang as Leland * Rachael Ancheril as Nhan * Bahia Watson as Co-starring * Hannah Cheesman as Lt. Cmdr. Airiam * Emily Coutts as Lt. Keyla Detmer * Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Gen Rhys * Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Joann Owosekun * Ronnie Rowe Jr. as Lt. R.A. Bryce * Julianne Grossman as Discovery Computer Uncredited co-stars Stunt doubles Stand-in References 2251; alligator; apple; ambassador; atom; bark; camouflage; Cestus III; Chancellor of the Klingon High Council; class 5 torpedo; cloaking device; cocoon; ; Deneva; DNA; energy; firewall; ; hull; hydrogen; JahSepp; ; L'Rell; law of conservation of mass; liaison officer; lipid; matter; Metropolitan Museum of Art; mitochondrial DNA; mycelial network; mycelium; nebula; organic transporter; Pike's cousin; pinky swear; quantum field; red burst; regulator; Section 31; Section 31 ship; Spock; Spock's shuttle; spore; Starfleet Charter; Starfleet Intelligence; tachyon radiation; time travel; Torchbearer; tractor beam; tractor rig; tritanium; type 3 phaser; yeel tree External links * * |next= }} Category:DIS episodes